Monday Mock

[casmith07]

1. Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt -- Hatcher's replacement, as he leaves in free agency. Immediately adds push in the center of the pocket.

2. Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota -- Hayden's replacement, sending Nick into the backup rotation which isn't a bad thing. We luck out and get a first round talent in the 2nd. Our defensive line is effectively halfway rebuilt, 3/4 rebuilt if Crawford comes on strong.

3.1. Craig Loston, SS, LSU -- hard hitting, run-stuffing strong safety with good hands and great closing speed. Exactly the kind of player we need. Has range like everyone's favorite Earl Thomas, but hits like a mack truck.

3.2. Jimmy Garappolo, QB, Eastern Illinois (Trade)-- draft passes the Garappolo test! We trade away our fifth rounder and a future pick to move up and grab Romo's heir apparent. Laser arm with smarts and a good deep ball who will get really good under Romo and Garrett's tutelage. The trade doesn't hurt as much since we anticipate possibly receiving a compensatory pick or two next year.

4. Dominique Easley, DT/DE, Florida -- the rebuild continues as we add more beef up front. Taking a page from Seattle of not pigeon-holing players into "only a 1 tech" or "only a DE", we select another guy who is a flat-out beast. A fourth rounder allows us to gamble on his health.

7.1. Viliami Moala, DT, Cal -- a mountain of a man from Tonga, he only started playing football in high school. When he first showed up at Cal, he tipped the scales at 387-lbs...and this was after helping his team amass 77 and 83 sacks in back to back seasons, holding opponents to only 68 points scoring in both seasons. A raw player, but a player with true Vince Wilfork potential. He's now 6'2", 325lbs. Sleeper of the draft!

7.2. Denicos Allen, OLB, Michigan State -- part of the #1 defense in yards allowed this year, Allen is "small" at 5'11", but is a good player for depth and potential starting potential as a WLB as time passes. Michigan State is a tough program that works hard and does things right as far as weight training and off-season programs, so he'll fit in with the Cowboys locker room.

7.3. John Martinez, OG, Southern Cal -- a project player at Guard, taken in the bottom of the draft. Won't start or dress, but has potential to be a swing guard in the future.

 

[texbumthelife]

You are absolutely dead set on Crappolo haha.

 

[LatinMind]

I think there is going to be a big run on DTs in the top of RD2. And i dont see Hageman getting past Seattle in round 1.

 

[rwalters31]

I think there is going to be a big run on DTs in the top of RD2. And i dont see Hageman getting past Seattle in round 1.

Bite your tongue! Leave them for us!

 

[starfrombirth]

1. Aaron Donald, DT, Pitt -- Hatcher's replacement, as he leaves in free agency. Immediately adds push in the center of the pocket.

2. Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota -- Hayden's replacement, sending Nick into the backup rotation which isn't a bad thing. We luck out and get a first round talent in the 2nd. Our defensive line is effectively halfway rebuilt, 3/4 rebuilt if Crawford comes on strong.

3.1. Craig Loston, SS, LSU -- hard hitting, run-stuffing strong safety with good hands and great closing speed. Exactly the kind of player we need. Has range like everyone's favorite Earl Thomas, but hits like a mack truck.

3.2. Jimmy Garappolo, QB, Eastern Illinois (Trade)-- draft passes the Garappolo test! We trade away our fifth rounder and a future pick to move up and grab Romo's heir apparent. Laser arm with smarts and a good deep ball who will get really good under Romo and Garrett's tutelage. The trade doesn't hurt as much since we anticipate possibly receiving a compensatory pick or two next year.

4. Dominique Easley, DT/DE, Florida -- the rebuild continues as we add more beef up front. Taking a page from Seattle of not pigeon-holing players into "only a 1 tech" or "only a DE", we select another guy who is a flat-out beast. A fourth rounder allows us to gamble on his health.

7.1. Viliami Moala, DT, Cal -- a mountain of a man from Tonga, he only started playing football in high school. When he first showed up at Cal, he tipped the scales at 387-lbs...and this was after helping his team amass 77 and 83 sacks in back to back seasons, holding opponents to only 68 points scoring in both seasons. A raw player, but a player with true Vince Wilfork potential. He's now 6'2", 325lbs. Sleeper of the draft!

7.2. Denicos Allen, OLB, Michigan State -- part of the #1 defense in yards allowed this year, Allen is "small" at 5'11", but is a good player for depth and potential starting potential as a WLB as time passes. Michigan State is a tough program that works hard and does things right as far as weight training and off-season programs, so he'll fit in with the Cowboys locker room.

7.3. John Martinez, OG, Southern Cal -- a project player at Guard, taken in the bottom of the draft. Won't start or dress, but has potential to be a swing guard in the future.

Whew! I like this! I think Donald is a little light but if the draft fell like this I would cry .... in a good way.

 

[Marktui]

I like the Donald, Garapollo and Easley picks. You really think Hageman falls to 48? If we take Safety, I would rather go with a coverage guy like Terrence Brooks of Florida State in the 3rd. Don't know much about the other guys stated.

 

[AsthmaField]

I would take this all day long.

Most people here know that I love Donald, and while I'm not really a Hageman fan because I feel like he is a risky pick, I think there is a chance he is very good.

Those two along with Hayden, Moala and Easley would have us set at DT. We would just have to hope that Easley stays healthy.

I'm not a real big Loston fan either (I think he is no better than what we currently have back there), but to be fair, I don't know enough about him to make a good judgement.

Garappolo is going to be a good QB I think. He has a very quick release and he has poise back there. I would love to get him in Dallas.

Easley and Moala might be considered overkill at one position, but man, we would big-time fix a position that is a real weakness right now and is a vital group in any 43 scheme. I would be fine with it. If they both hit, then we say goodbye to Hayden and send out a monster rotation inside.

I like Allen some, but I don't think Dallas would take him because they get so caught up in measurables in the draft. They love length and that is one of the few things that Allen doesn't have. In the 7th though, they might just do it.

Martinez... meh... If they saw something in him to take as a project then I'd be fine with it.

Overall, I'd really like this draft. Mainly because I have a man-crush on Donald and I think Hageman would be big-time value in the second... and because I'm an old defensive guy and I think DT is super important in this defense and this draft would fix that position for sure!

 

[casmith07]

Whew! I like this! I think Donald is a little light but if the draft fell like this I would cry .... in a good way.

I'm over all of the concerns about weight, height, etc. The size talk about Michael Sam is hilarious. Did you know Michael Sam weighs exactly as much as DeMarcus Ware?

I like the Donald, Garapollo and Easley picks. You really think Hageman falls to 48? If we take Safety, I would rather go with a coverage guy like Terrence Brooks of Florida State in the 3rd. Don't know much about the other guys stated.

I think Hageman could fall, but obviously all of this is crap against the wall until the combine and pro days. For a safety I'm much more interested in strong safeties. The free safeties in this draft either aren't much better than what we already have, or they are more strong safety types who have gotten by in college (Ed Reynolds, Stanford -- much better SS project than FS, IMO from the tape).

 

[casmith07]

I'm not a real big Loston fan either (I think he is no better than what we currently have back there), but to be fair, I don't know enough about him to make a good judgement.

I've watched everything out there on Loston, read just about everything, and watched every interview. He's not amazing starter level ready quite yet, but he would immediately be better than every other SS we have on the roster on day 1. He's faster than Barry Church could ever hope to be in his dreams, his closing speed against the run is a thing of beauty, and he loves to hit. Exactly what we want from a SS...if the front four can get the right kind of pressure, Loston can make Kam Chancellor look second-rate, from what I've watched.

Easley and Moala might be considered overkill at one position, but man, we would big-time fix a position that is a real weakness right now and is a vital group in any 43 scheme. I would be fine with it. If they both hit, then we say goodbye to Hayden and send out a monster rotation inside.

I like Easley's versatility. If he's healthy, he can play Tackle or End. I think Moala is going to be really good in the right system, and I love Polynesian players. They are almost always humble, hard-working, freakish athletes. Guys like Mike Iupati and Lofa Tatupu come to mind (I wanted Iupati so bad in that draft, but I'll take Dez).

But I think Moala is going to be one of the draft steals this year. Huge potential there watching him play. And a lot of potential with the kid from BYU, too, Eathyn Manumaleuna.

 

[AsthmaField]

I've watched everything out there on Loston, read just about everything, and watched every interview. He's not amazing starter level ready quite yet, but he would immediately be better than every other SS we have on the roster on day 1. He's faster than Barry Church could ever hope to be in his dreams, his closing speed against the run is a thing of beauty, and he loves to hit. Exactly what we want from a SS...if the front four can get the right kind of pressure, Loston can make Kam Chancellor look second-rate, from what I've watched.



I like Easley's versatility. If he's healthy, he can play Tackle or End. I think Moala is going to be really good in the right system, and I love Polynesian players. They are almost always humble, hard-working, freakish athletes. Guys like Mike Iupati and Lofa Tatupu come to mind (I wanted Iupati so bad in that draft, but I'll take Dez).

But I think Moala is going to be one of the draft steals this year. Huge potential there watching him play. And a lot of potential with the kid from BYU, too, Eathyn Manumaleuna.

I'm not sure if Moala fits what they're trying to do on defense, but I do like the player and I think that he could end up being a steal. I think he will be a better pro than he was in college.

 

[casmith07]

I'm not sure if Moala fits what they're trying to do on defense, but I do like the player and I think that he could end up being a steal. I think he will be a better pro than he was in college.

He might be more of a 3-4 NT, but I think he could at least occupy gaps to free up linebackers and other tacklers to make plays.

Everybody always wanted a big DT/NT and now I find one and nobody wants one.

 

[AsthmaField]

He might be more of a 3-4 NT, but I think he could at least occupy gaps to free up linebackers and other tacklers to make plays.

Everybody always wanted a big DT/NT and now I find one and nobody wants one.

Haha, that's because of the scheme change. I just want a bunch of guys to rotate in and out at DT. Keep them fresh and going after the QB.

Have I mentioned that I really hope we draft Donald?

 

[KingintheNorth]

7.1. Viliami Moala, DT, Cal -- a mountain of a man from Tonga, he only started playing football in high school. When he first showed up at Cal, he tipped the scales at 387-lbs...and this was after helping his team amass 77 and 83 sacks in back to back seasons, holding opponents to only 68 points scoring in both seasons. A raw player, but a player with true Vince Wilfork potential. He's now 6'2", 325lbs. Sleeper of the draft!

Quit stealing my sleeper.

Only difference is I want to turn him into a Guard. I think he will be strongest player available this year (not sure if he was invited to Combine)

 

[casmith07]

Quit stealing my sleeper.

Only difference is I want to turn him into a Guard. I think he will be strongest player available this year (not sure if he was invited to Combine)

I absolutely want him as a 2-gapper DT on the front. He could bust through gaps and double teams with ease. and turn the middle of the pocket into a smashed-in cheap basket.

 

[texbumthelife]

I don't know man. I like some of what you say and do in your mocks and then other times its very clear you're going hard after pet cats.

I don't think Loston is in any way an upgrade over Church other than his age and what he will be paid. I might consider it for those reasons alone, but Church still has guaranteed money and can't be cut. Church was a wrecking ball against the run last year and the best tackler (135 tackles) on the team. He would be absolutely perfect for this defense if we had a real defensive line and a rangy FS behind him. He is one of a few players on defense who really earned his money and showed up this season. I agree with the choice of Brooks instead.

As for Garappola, as a second third round pick, I can get behind that. You know we have gone back and forth about that pick several times, but the way this draft shakes out, I am ok with the it.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I like it.

Not big on the Loston pick. As someone else pointed out, I would love to see more of a free-safety type drafted at some point.

I like the choice of QB.

 

[casmith07]

I think most people have a remarkable misunderstanding of the safety position in football, or in the NFL as a whole.

None of the safeties in this year's draft, save for maybe Jimmie Ward at NIU, have really above and beyond "free safety" talent. Almost all of the players worth drafting are strong safeties.

The player that people keep clamoring over, Calvin Pryor, is not much better than Wilcox, and certainly won't be with only one camp to get ready for the NFL, and to get ready to be an All-Pro from Week 1 or face the wrath of CowboysZone who quite frankly doesn't even know the difference between Cover 2 and Cover 3.

I think Barry Church has come close to his ceiling. He is good, but I think if the front four is addressed and we have an ability to add a SS with better coverage ability in a Cover 2 we should make the move. It will allow the team to then play Church in the box more against multiple receiver sets, which is favorable to having Bruce Carter run out of the box trying to cover a TE, which opens up too much exposure underneath for screens and drags in the middle of the field that gouged is last season.

Or, we could do what most fans want and try and shoehorn a bad pick at FS into the defense neglecting the entire rest of the roster and watch us be bottom 5% of the league again in pass defense.

 

[KingintheNorth]

The player that people keep clamoring over, Calvin Pryor, is not much better than Wilcox

Just don't agree. I think has Wilcox has a ton of potential to be a very good Strong Safety. I'd like to see him beat out Church, who is limited athletically, by the 2015 season. Pryor is much better playing the ball than any Safety we have on the roster and I don't think it's close.

D Line is the much bigger need and a pass rush will help the Safeties greatly, but if we were to take Pryor at 16/17 I would not be upset at all.

 

[casmith07]

If we take Pryor at 16/17, you'll be upset halfway through next season when we're still getting destroyed against the pass.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Nope, I've hitched my wagon to the "get a true Free Safety and watch the pass defense improve" philosophy for about 8 years.

I still want D Linemen in the next few rounds if we were to take Pryor.